Elk Hunting Forum - What to do? Sit tight or ??

[americanbwana]

Here is my scenario (actually happened).

Opening weekend, CO Archery.

Walking through the woods, cow calling every so often. About 8:30 I hear one bull bugle up hill, then a second one off at about the same elevation to my right. Early morning thermals are pushing my scent down hill. Both elk are at or slightly above me.

Not really sure what to do, so I setup and started cow calling. About 10 minutes later I hear something coming up from below me (it kicked a stump, otherwise silent). It doesn\'t come over the rise between us. He obviously didn\'t like my Irish Spring scent guard.

Both elk only bugled one time. I suspect they were to moving toward a bedding area near where the second called.

Anyway, what should I have done?

 

[elkmtngear]

Dana,
How far do you think it was to the closest bull?

Sounds like typical early Season behavior...they will sneak in rather than get vocal oftentimes!

 

[cnelk]

I recognize a couple of things.

1st. You mentioned you were MOVING thru the woods cow calling sometimes.
Most all of the cows I have heard have also been moving.
You probably should have called and then MOVED a short distance called again or just waited. The key is make them think you are still there where you were

2nd. The elk that you heard may have slipped up that ridge and peeked over only to not see an elk. That happened to me once. The bull came in to my calling, but I only saw his ears and rack just over the top of the ridge. I barely only saw him before he slipped back away.

Just my 2 pennies

 

[WW]

Gee (elksafe) what you just encountered was a version of what is known as silent calling. And like cnelk stated, you may have just had a bull pull the old Kilroy trick on you with an eyeball over the fence. I\'ve had them do it several times. They come in silent and all you may see is ears and an eyeball peeking over the ridge.

Also, you said it was around 8:40 when you heard him kick a stump or brake a twig. You are really pushing it there, time wise. That time of day is about right for the thermals to start swirling and reversing to uphill.

Considering the time of day, I think you should have waited for the thermal to shift and then tried to setup uphill from them. Then hit them with a few cow calls and see what happens.

For anyone that doesn\'t understand for sure what the term (silent calling) is all about, I urge you to get a copy of Jim Horn\'s CD. I think the title of it is Early Season Hunting or something like that. It is a deadly technique the first two weeks of the season.

 

[americanbwana]

I recognize a couple of things.

1st. You mentioned you were MOVING thru the woods cow calling sometimes.
Most all of the cows I have heard have also been moving.
You probably should have called and then MOVED a short distance called again or just waited. The key is make them think you are still there where you were

Yea, the old call and move tactic. It\'s amazing how well the elk can know exactly where that call came from. I\'ve been burned many, many times by that.

In fact a couple of years ago I did the opening day cold calling and had a cow and calf almost step on me. That was a hoot. About had to shoot her in self defense. She was easily 2 yards away before she scented me.

ElkRSafe says, if it can be done wrong, he\'ll do it. :lolno:

 

[Zpd307]

that is most of the encounters that I get. I just hear twigs break and then nothing, I don\'t even get to see eyeballs. on a cold set up during the muzzle season I heard a snap close and loud enough that I almost pulled back the hammer, but never saw a thing.... but I didn\'t know elk behavior well enough to know that I should have moved a short ways after calling.

 

[Swede]

When hunting in the morning or evening when the thermals are going down hill, I like to stay very low on a hill. I like to be just above the draw bottom so it is difficult for the elk to get below me to catch my scent. During the day when the thermals are going up, I will be closer to the top. Often it is good to cross a draw so you are on the opposite side from the elk. Staying in the shadows and in the draw bottom can keep you in down drafts longer. Those tricks are almost as good as staying in your tree stand.

 

[americanbwana]

One of the reason I\'m looking for a hunting partner this year.

Having a partner in this scenario may have resulted in a shot opportunity.

I had one hang up on opening day last year.

 

[Zpd307]

the best reply to a cold set up call I have had so far, was a bull thrashing a tree just in the timber from small grass meadow about 100 yards away. once again, I didn\'t know my head from my ass when it came to elk behavior so we stayed put thinking he would come out. he circled behind us about 20 minutes later.

 

[Bullnuts]

Two bulls calling? I think I would have picked the nearest one and put the moves on him without making a sound. I had the same scenario a few years ago - two bulls bugling occasionally in different drainages. I chose the closest one and put a long stalk on him. He wasn\'t going anywhere and had cows bedded with him, so I just moved slow, kept the wind right, and ended up spotting him before he saw me. He was moving back and forth in a thick stand of lodgepoles and every time he\'d move I\'d put a few trees between us and get closer. I eventually screwed this stalk up by nearly stepping on one of the cows, but it was very effective up until that point. I\'d much rather the elk not expect me or look for me as I approach, so as long as he\'s sitting still and making noise, I\'m heading that way.

 

[elkmtngear]

I\'d much rather the elk not expect me or look for me as I approach, so as long as he\'s sitting still and making noise, I\'m heading that way.

Early Season or late Season I live by the same train of thought...there is a lot to be said for cutting the distance undetected. Once you give away your position, you always open yourself up to being flanked, as happened in Dana\'s example.

In late Season, getting between two aggressive bulls can be deadly! We have capitalized on that situation on many occasions.
I prefer to try to sneak within 80 yards, and then start my calling/ decoying attempts in that scenario.